U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

UNIFORMED 

AND OVERSEAS 

VOTERS

March 2008

Quick Start M a n a g e

m e n t

G u i d e

www.eac.gov
2

Quick Start Management Guide

The Quick Start Management Guide on 

Uniformed and Overseas Voters is part of a 

series of brochures designed to highlight and 

summarize the information contained in 

the chapters of the U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission’s (EAC) Election Management 

Guidelines (EMG). The goal of the EMG is to 

provide a collection of election management 

guidelines, consolidated into one document, 

to assist State and local election officials 

effectively manage and administer elections. 

These guidelines are solely designed to 

serve as a source of information for election 

officials and not as requirements by which 

they must abide. The EAC expects the EMG 

to be completed in 2008. However, due to 

the urgent need for election management 

resources, EMG chapters and Quick Starts 

are released as they are completed.

The content of the EMG and the Quick Start 

Management Guides has been developed in 

collaboration with State and local election 

officials and other election professionals 

who have first-hand experience managing 

elections. The EAC is grateful for their 

participation and ensuring the guidelines 

are practical and applicable for jurisdictions 

regardless of their size and resources. The 

EMG and the Quick Starts are available 

online at www.eac.gov.

Unifor

med and

Over

sea

s

Voter

s
3

Uniformed and Overseas Voters

www.eac.gov

Introduction

● The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee 

Voting Act (UOCAVA) protects the voting rights 

for Uniformed Services members and members of 

the U.S. merchant marine, their families and all 

U.S. citizens residing outside of the United States. 

The Act is administered by the Federal Voting 

Assistance Program (FVAP), operating within 

the Department of Defense. There are currently 

more than 6,000,000 UOVAVA voters - including 

over 3,000,000 overseas civilians; 1,400,000 

military voters; 1,300,000 military dependents of 

voting age; and 100,000 federal civilian overseas 

employees. 

● UOCAVA voters face unique challenges in 

registering to vote, requesting and receiving 

their ballot, and returning their voted ballot. The 

most important component in ensuring their 

right to vote can be summed up in one word: 

COMMUNICATION. Communication between 

the local election officials and their state election 

office; between each state election office and the 

FVAP; and the ongoing communication between 

the UOCAVA voter and you – the state/local 

election official. 

● In addition, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) 

of 2002, amended Section 102 of UOCAVA to 

mandate that no later than 90 days after the 

date of each regularly scheduled general election 

for Federal office, each State and unit of local 

government which administered the election 

must submit to the EAC the combined number 

of absentee ballots transmitted to uniformed and 

overseas voters, and the combined number of such 

ballots returned by such voters and cast in the 

election.
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Quick Start Management Guide

Communicating with UOCAVA

Voters

● Wherever possible, utilize technology to 

communicate directly with UOCAVA voters. 

Collect email addresses for UOCAVA voters to 

provide quick contact with the voter to confirm 

registration status, receipt of absentee ballot, and 

to provide the UOCAVA voter with a contact 

person in your office who can quickly answer and 

respond to their questions. Tip: Develop your own 

“news updates” for all of your UOCAVA voters and 

routinely send the “updates” using your email list.

● Provide an on-line voter status search tool to 

enable UOCAVA voters to verify their voter 

eligibility status. Tip: If allowed by State law, 

consider providing an on-line sample ballot by 

address for UOCAVA voters to print, vote, and 

return by mail or fax. 

● Develop a special link for UOCAVA voters on 

your election office website. Include the following 

information: 

● A link to the Federal Voting Assistance 

Program website (www.fvap.gov). 

● Information on how to register to vote, 

including any State-specific laws and 

regulations. Tip: Post a link to the electronic 

version of the Federal postcard application 

(www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html) 

● Publish future year election calendars, 

including registration deadlines.
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Uniformed and Overseas Voters

www.eac.gov

● Provide details on how to vote and return 

the ballot to your office. Tip: Be sure to inform 

UOCAVA voters about State laws governing 

when a ballot must be received in order to be 

eligible to be counted. For example, some states 

require that a ballot be returned no later than 

7:00 p.m. on Election Day, while others allow 

the UOCAVA ballot to be counted if postmarked 

on Election Day.

● Post a direct email link and toll-free phone 

number to provide UOCAVA voters with a 

staff representative knowledgeable in this area 

to answer all questions. 

● Take steps to confirm a UOCAVA voter’s 

current address is accurate to ensure the ballot is 

delivered. A variety of communication methods 

are recommended by FVAP, including:

● Utilize telephone, fax, or email contact 

information provided on the Federal Post 

Card Application (FPCA) to reach the voter. 

(Note: Faxes to voters are toll-free to 

any location in the world by using the 

FVAP’s Electronic Transmission Service, 

1-800-368-8683).

● If the ballot is returned as undeliverable, be 

sure to compare the address on the mailing 

envelope with the address provided by the 

voter on the absentee ballot request. 

(Note: Be aware of how your voter registration 

software manages secondary address 

information, especially as it relates to printing 

ballot envelopes and/or labels).
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Quick Start Management Guide

● Contact the FVAP for assistance in verifying 

address data through the Department of 

Defense’s personnel database. Submit requests 

via email to vote@fvap.ncr.gov with the subject 

“Address Update”. Requests must include 

the name of the voter, date of birth, and if 

possible, the social security number. FVAP has 

no access to information on military family 

members or other overseas citizens. 

(Note: This information can only be provided 

to election officials if ballots have been returned 

as non-deliverable).

● Determine ways to ensure the timely receipt 

and return of voting information for UOCAVA 

voters. Many states allow faxing and emailing of 

materials to avoid delay. Check to find out if any of 

the following are permitted by your state:

● Sending the FPCA or registration and ballot 

request by fax or email,

● Receiving the blank ballot by fax or email,

● Returning the voted ballot by fax or email
7

Uniformed and Overseas Voters

www.eac.gov

Developing Office Guidelines

for Serving UOCAVA Voters

● Prior to every election cycle, review and update 

procedures pertaining to UOCAVA voters. Be sure 

that a minimum of two staff members are crosstrained on this topic. Tip: This is also an excellent 

opportunity to reinforce new State and Federal 

requirements and deadlines regarding UOCAVA 

voters.

● Review the EAC’s Best Practices on Military and 

Overseas Voters available on the EAC’s website, 

www.eac.gov.

● Provide staff with copies of the Voting Assistance 

Guide (available from the FVAP). This reference 

book provides information about residency 

requirements in other states.

● Add questions to your state voter registration 

form (i.e. “Are you a military, overseas civilian, 

or dependent?”). This provides an additional 

opportunity for you to identify voters that fall into 

the UOCAVA category. 

● Understand the definition of “legal voting 

residence.” This is the address within the State or 

territory where the UOCAVA voter last resided 

before entering the military or the last State or 

territory that was claimed as their legal residence. 

Military and family members may change their 

legal residence every time they change permanent 

duty stations or they may retain their legal 

residence without change. (Note: Family members 

may have a different legal voting residence from the 

military member).
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Quick Start Management Guide

● For overseas citizens, the “legal voting residence” 

is the address within the State or territory where 

they lived before leaving the United States. This 

is the same legal residence for family members of 

U.S. citizens residing overseas. (Note: For family 

members who have never lived in the United States, 

they may claim one of their parents’ legal State or 

territory of residence as their own, if allowed by 

the State).

● Build a partnership with your local Post Office 

branch to ensure special handling for UOCAVA 

outgoing and incoming ballots. Review the 

domestic mail manual for information on how 

to use the postage-free indicia. For information 

on preparing and sending election mail, visit the 

United States Postal Service Election Officials’ 

Mailing Resources site at: www.usps.com/

electionmail. 

● Evaluate your voter registration software to ensure 

that the system will track the number of voters 

in this category, as well as the number of ballots 

issued and number of ballots returned.
9

Uniformed and Overseas Voters

www.eac.gov

Understanding Forms and

Procedures for UOCAVA

Voters

● The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) is a 

postage-free card, printed and distributed by the 

FVAP for use by all voters covered by UOCAVA. 

All States and territories accept the FPCA as the 

voter registration and absentee ballot application 

for UOCAVA citizens only. The extent of its use is 

governed by State and territorial law. 

Reminder: You are required to mail ballots to the 

UOCAVA voter for each election for Federal office 

through the next two general Federal elections, 

unless the voter specifically requests otherwise.

● The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) 

is often referred to as a “back-up” ballot. It is 

available to UOCAVA voters who do not receive 

their regular absentee ballot. The FWAB is used to 

vote for Federal offices in general elections. Some 

States allow the use of the FWAB in elections 

other than general elections. (NOTE: The FWAB 

is only valid when a regular ballot from a State or 

territory has already been requested, in a timely 

manner, and has not been received).

Most Important Things to

Remember

● UOCOVA voters move frequently, and often with 

little or no advance warning. Develop procedures 

and methods to keep accurate and current records 

for these voters.

● Be on the alert for any changes in Federal and 

State law. Review the FVAP’s Web site as well 

as your own State’s link. Review your internal 

procedures and make changes as needed. 
10

Quick Start Management Guide

● Prepare voting materials for UOCAVA voters in 

advance. Consider mailing a “notice of election” 

letter to all UOCAVA voters prior to every election 

in order to confirm their current mailing address. 

● Process all applications received after the initial 45 

day mail period as quickly as possible. 

● Devote a section of your Web site to UOCAVA 

voters and provide a link to the FVAP’s automated 

Federal Post Card Form. 

● Consult your State Election Director for 

questions. Consider partnering with large military 

establishment jurisdictions in your State to 

develop a State procedure checklist.

● Develop a network within your State of staff 

members that manage UOCAVA voters. 

Encourage communication and collaboration 

to develop new and uniform techniques and 

methods for improving the registration and voting 

processes for UOCAVA voters in your State.

● Communicate your practices and procedures 

to the State Election Director and the FVAP to 

ensure accuracy and correctness. 

● Collect statistics regarding UOCAVA voters and 

the issuance and return of ballots that fall into this 

category for State and Federal reporting purposes. 
11

Uniformed and Overseas Voters

www.eac.gov

Federal Voting Assistance

Program Contact Information

Mail

Federal Voting Assistance Program

Department of Defense

1155 Defense Pentagon

Washington, DC 20301-1155 

Telephone

Toll-free: 1-800-438-VOTE (8683)

Commercial: (703) 588-1584, DSN 425-1584

International Toll-free numbers are available at 

www.fvap.gov/services/tollfree.html

Staff can be reached from 7:30a.m. to 6:00p.m. 

Eastern United States Time, Monday through Friday. 

Messages can be left 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

E-mail

vote@fvap.ncr.gov 

World Wide Web

www.fvap.gov 

Electronic Transmission Service (ETS) 

Toll free within the U.S. 1-800-368-8683

Commercial (703) 693-5527

International Toll-free numbers are available at 

www.fvap.gov/services/faxing.html
For information regarding this publication or to request 

additional copies, please, contact: 

Address

U.S. Election Assistance Commission 

1225 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 1100 

Washington, DC 20005

Attn: Election Management Guidelines

Telephone

(202) 566-3100 

(866) 747-1471 (toll free)

Fax

(202) 566-3127

E-mail Address

HAVA info@eac.gov

Website

www.eac.gov

The EAC is an independent bipartisan commission 

created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). 

It is charged with administering payments to states 

and developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, 

implementing election administration improvements, 

adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, 

accrediting voting system test laboratories and 

certifying voting equipment and serving as a national 

clearinghouse and resource of information regarding 

election administration.